Mail-box.



MAIL BOX.-

APILIOATION FILED MAR. 5, 1910.

961,212. Patented'June 14,1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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Swumdoz wwmm 59 ANDREW a GRAHAM 004 w 'mumu mwznawnmofio c MAIL-BOX.

APPLICATION FILED MAE. s, 1910.

Patented June 14,1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ANDREW a GRMAM cov PNOTO-LWIOGRAPNERS.WASHINGTON, a c.

S. CL COX MAIL BOX.

APILIOATION FILED MAR, 5, 1910.

Patented June 14, 1910.

3 SEEETS-SHEET 3.

mmnzw a GRAHAM 110., PMQTOLHNOGRAPHERSYWASWNGYON, w. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL C. COX, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

MAIL-B X.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL C. Cox, a citizen of the United States,residing at Washington, inthe District of Columbia, have invented newand useful Improvements in Mail-Boxes, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in mailboxes.

The invention has for its object to provide improved means forindicating the periods of collection of mail matter.

A further object is to provide improved means for automaticallyoperating the inclicating means after each collection.

A further object is to provide improved means for adjusting theindicating means to conform to changes in the days and hours, and dailyschedules of collection.

A further object is to provide means for checking the collector in hisrounds.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth and particularlypointed out in the claims.

In the accompanyin drawings :Figure 1 is an end elevation of a mail boxwith my indicator attached thereto. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectionalview of the mail box, illus trating the indicator mechanism in position.Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the indicatormechanism. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional View thereof. Fig. 5 is adetail view illustrating the controlling disks. Figs. 6 and 7 aredetails of the disk shift-ing device. Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are detailsillustrating the disk controlling means.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates a mail box provided with thedeposit opening 11, hinged bottom 12 and front section 13. Theconstruction of the box is immaterial, but I have illustrated the frontsection 13 hinged at 14 to the bottom section 12, the latter beinghinged at its rear end to the back of the box as indicated at 15. Thebottom section is provided with end plates 16 having curved slots 17adapted to receive pins 18 projecting inwardly from the ends of the box.The slots 17 are curved on an are having its center at the rear hinge15. The front section 13 is also provided with end plates 19 adapted toslide between the end plate 16 and the ends of the box, said end plates19 being provided with recesses 20 adapted to fit over the pins 18 whenthe box is closed.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 5, 1910.

Patented J none 14, 1910. Serial No. 547,518.

Supported in any suitable manner on the inner face of one of the endwalls of the mail box is a clock mechanism of any preferred constructionprovided with the usual trains of gearing for operating the minute andhour hands 22, the latter being suitably mounted on an arbor whichprojects through said end wall. Pivotally mounted upon said arbor is alever 24 adapted to wind the main spring 26 of the clock mechanism,through a winding rod 25, and pinions and 25*, the lower end of saidlever lying in the path of a trip lug 28 secured to one of the endplates 19. Loosely mounted on the arbor 23 is a hub 29 provided at oneend with a disk 30, said disk being provided with a central opening toreceive a reduced portion 31 of the arbor, whereby said hub will rotatewith said arbor and yet be free to reciprocate thereon. Mounted on saidhub 29 is a second hub 32 provided with a large disk 33 the latter beingprovided with a central opening 34 to receive disk 30. The opposite endof hub 32 is also provided with a central opening to receive a reducedportion 35 of arbor 23, whereby said hub will rotate with said arbor andyet be free to reciprocate thereon. The walls of the hubs 29 and 32 areprovided with coinciding slots to receive a pinion 36 mounted on a stemextending laterally from arbor 23, said pinion engaging rack teeth 38 onopposite walls of the slots in the hubs, the arrangement of the partsbeing such that rotation of the pinion effects a relative reciprocationof the two hubs. Each of the disks 30 and 33 is provided with a seriesof holes arranged near its edge adapted to receive removable stops 39.Mounted upon an arm 40 is an escapement pinion 41 arranged parallel withthe faces of the disks 30 and 33 and in such manner that the teeth ofsaid pinion intercept the path of movement of the stops 39. Said pinionis normally prevented from rotation by means of an escapement pawl 42 ofapproximate crescent shape and provided with a lug 43 extending into thepath of movement of the trip lever 24. The lug 43 is pivoted to the pawl42 and held normally against a suitable stop shoulder 44 by-spring 45 sothat the trip lever when moving in one direction will operate the pawland when moving in the other direction will pass the same withoutinterference. It will be 0bserved that the pinion 41 is of suflicientlength to intercept the stops 39 on both disks.

Mounted on a suitable support 50 is a cam wheel 51 provided with teethor fingers 52 adapted to be engaged by a lug 53 on the hub 32. Said camwheel is provided with a short cam 54 adapted to engage a pin 55 onpinion 36, a longer cam arm 56 being provided to engage a pin 57 on saidpinion. The hub 32 makes one complete revolution in twenty-four hours,and the fingers are so numbered that at the end of the sixth day the camarm 54 is in a position to intercept the path of movement of the pin 55as the pinion 36 swings in its orbit around arbor 23. As said pin engaes arm 54 the pinion 36 is partially revolved on its axis andconsequently withdrawing the stops of disk 33 from engagement withpinion 41 and forcing disk 30 outward until its stops engage saidpinion. The next revolution of hub 32 causes the cam arm 56 to engagepin 57 and reverse the foregoing operation. In order to prevent forwardrotation of the cam wheel 51 except when engaged by lug 53 fingers. 52are extended to form spring pressed pawls 58 arranged to engage astationary lug 59, and in order to prevent reverse rotation of the camwheel 51 I provide a suitable pawl 58 and ratchet 59.

On the outer face of the box adjacent the hands 22 I provide an ordinaryclock face 60, the same being covered by a suitable lens 61 held inposition by a suitable collar 62. Said collar is provided with an upperpermanent section and a lower pivoted section engaged by a suitablecatch 63. By this arrangement rain is prevented from entering the mailbox, the clock mechanism is protected, and the lens may be readilyreplaced or repaired.

In order to provide for the changing of the disks 30 and 33 for holidaysoccurring before the end of the week I provide a suitable manuallyoperated device comprising a member 7 0 pivotally mounted upon thesupport 50 and operated by means of a suitable lever 71. Said member isprovided with fingers 72, 73 corresponding to the cam arms 54 and 56respectively, said fingers being provided with depending lugs 74reaching down to the plane of the pins 55 and 57. A coiled spring 75tends to hold member normally elevated and to return the same tooperative position when rotated. Said member is provided with a latch 76adapted to engage projections on cam wheel 51 and arranged to bedisengaged by the pin 53. hen it is desired to operate this device theoperator, at the last collection before the holiday, depresses member 70until latch 76 engages the cam wheel, whereupon the fingers 72 and 73will act identically as cam arms 54 and 56. As the pin 53 comes aroundit disengages the latch 7 6 Whereupon the spring will reverse therotation of member 7 O and at the same time elevate the latter to itsnormal position.

In operation it is necessary to depress the front section 13 before themail matter can be withdrawn from the box. As the said section isdepressed the trip lug 28 engages the lower end of the lever 24 andmoves the same in a direction to wind the main spring 26. It will benoted that the lever in its movement engages the lug 43 but by reason ofthe joint in the latter, passes the same without operating it. At thetime that this operation takes place one of the stops 39 of either diskis in engagement with one of the teeth of the pinion 41, the latter byreason of the pawl 42 preventing movement of the disk. On the returnmovement of the lever 24 pressed upon and operated by triplug 28 the lug43 is again engaged rocking the pawl, disengaging one end of the latterfrom the pinion 41 and permitting said pinion to rotate sufficiently toallow the stop 39 to pass, further movement of said pinion beinginterrupted by the other end of the pawl 42. The disk will at once berotated by reason of the rotation of shaft or arbor 23. As soon as thetrip lever 24 passes the lug 28 the escapement pawl returns to itsoriginal position in engagement with the escapement pinion 41, thelatter intercepting the next stop in the disk 30 or 33 and therebyinterrupting the movement of the latter.

It is obvious that any arrangement of stops 39 and holes 38 may beemployed, but I have illustrated the holes in disk 33 as arranged infour rows of seventy-two holes each, each hole representing fiveminutes, and twelve holes one hour, and it is readily apparent that thetime indicated by the hands 22 may be varied by shifting the stops inthe various holes. The holes 38 of disk 30 are arranged for half hourperiods but it is obvious that this arrangement may be varied. By thisarrangement the indicator may be set to indicate the next hour ofcollection and the time altered to suit all conditions. At the lastcollection of the seventh day, 2'. 6., Saturday, the cam wheel 51 isoperated to bring disk 30 into operative position, the stops on saiddisk having been set to indicate the hours of Sunday collections. At thelast collection Sunday the disk 30 is rendered inoperative and the disk33 placed automatically into operative relation. It is also obvious thatwhile I have illustrated and described my improved indicating mechanismas particularly adapted to a mail box, I do not desire to limit myselfin this particular as the same may be readily adapted without materialalteration for various purposes.

Having thus explained the nature of my invention, and described a mannerof constructing and using the same, although Without attempting to setforth all of the forms in which it may be made or all of the modes ofits use, what I claim is 2. An indicator of the character describedcomprising indicating mechanism, a rotatable shaft for operatmg thesame, a spring for rotating said shaft, controllmg means secured to saidshaft and rotatable therewith, stop mechanism arranged to normallyengage said controlling means to prevent rotation of said shaft, tripmechanism for temporarily disengaging said stop mechanism and saidcontrolling means, means for intermittently increasin the tension onsaid spring immediately before each operation of the trip mechanism, anda single member for operating said trip mechanism and said tensionincreasing means.

3. An indicator of the character described comprising indicatingmechanism, a rotatable shaft for operating the same, a spring forrotating said shaft, controlling means secured to said shaft androtatable therewith, stop mechanism arranged to normally engage saidcontrolling means to prevent rotation of said shaft, trip mechanism fortemporarily disengaging said stop mechanism and said controlling means,means for intermittently increasing the tension on said springimmediately before each operation of the trip mechanism, and a triplever having arms for respectively operating said tension increasingmeans and said trip mechamsm.

4:. An indicator of the character described comprising indicatingmechanism, a rotatable shaft for operating the same, a'spring forrotating said shaft, a disk secured to said shaft and rotatabletherewith, said disk being provided with stops, stop mechanism arrangedto normally engage said stops to prevent rotation of said shaft, tripmechanism for temporarily disengaging said stops and stop mechanism, andmeans for intermittently increasing the tension on said springimmediately before each operation of the trip mechanism.

5. An indicator of the character described comprising indicatingmechanism, a rotatable shaft for operating the same, a spring forrotating said shaft, a disk secured to said shaft and rotatabletherewith, said disk being provided with a plurality of holes, removablestops secured in said holes, stop mechanism arranged to normally engagesaid stops to prevent rotation of said shaft, trip mechanism fortemporarily disengaging said stops and stop mechanism, and means forintermittently increasing the tension on said spring immediately beforeeach operation of the trip mechanism.

6. An indicator of the character described comprising indicatingmechanism, means for actuating the same, controlling means operativelyconnected with said actuating means, stop mechanism adapted to normallyengage said controlling means, and trip mechanism for temporarilydisengaging said controlling means from said stop mechanism, saidcontrolling means including adjustable means for varying the periods ofdisengagement of said controlling means and said stop mechanism.

7. An indicator of the character described comprising indicatingmechanism, a rotatable shaft for operating the same, a spring forrotating said shaft, controlling means secured to said shaft androtatable therewith, stop mechanism arranged to normally engage saidcontrolling means to prevent rotation of said shaft, trip mechanism fortemporarily disengaging said stop mechanism and said controlling means,and means for intermittently increasing the tension on said springimmediately before each operation of the trip mechanism, saidcontrolling means including adjustable means for varying the periods ofdisengagement of said controlling means, and said stop mechanism.

8. An indicator of the character described comprising indicatingmechanism, a spring for operating the same, means for increasing thetension on said spring, a disk or plate controlling said indicatingmechanism, stops carried by said disk, or plate, a looking pinionadapted to successively engage said stops, trip mechanism controllingsaid locking pinion, and a trip lever for operating said trip mechanism.

9. An indicator of the character described comprising indicatingmechanism, a spring for operating the same, means for increasing thetension on said spring, a disk controlling said indicating mechanism,stops removably supported by said disk, a locking pinion adapted tosuccessively engage the stops, trip mechanism controlling said lockingpinion, and a trip lever for operating said trip mechanism.

10. An indicator of the character described comprising indicatingmechanism, a spring for operating the same, means for increasing thetension on said spring, a disk controlling said indicating mechanism,stops supported by said disk, a locking pinion adapted to successivelyengage said stops,i an escapement pawl controlling said pinion, and atrip lever for operating said pawl.

11. An indicator of the character described comprising indicatingmechanism, a spring for operating the same, means for increasing thetension on said spring, a disk controlling said indicating mechanism,stops supported by said disk, a locking pinion arranged to intercept thepath of movement of said stops, an escapement pawl controlling saidpinion, said pawl being provided with a pivoted lug, and a trip leverfor operating said pawl.

12. An indicator of the character described comprising indicatingmechanism, a spring for operating the same, means for increasing thetension on said spring, a disk for controlling said indicating mechanismand provided with a plurality or series of holes, stops removablymounted in said holes, a locking pinion extending across all of saidseries of holes and adapted to engage the stops, trip mechanism forcontrolling said locking pinion, and a trip lever for operating saidtrip mechanism.

13. An indicator of the character described comprising indicatingmechanism, a spring for operating the same, means for periodicallyincreasing the tension on said spring, a plurality of disks each adaptedto control the operation of said indicating mechanism, means foralternately placing said disks in operative relation with saidindicating mechanism, locking mechanism for said disks, and means forreleasing the disks from said locking mechanism.

14. An indicator of the character described comprising indicatingmechanism, a spring for operating the same, means for periodicallyincreasing the tension on said spring, an arbor connected with saidindicating mechanism, a plurality of disks each provided with a hubsecured to said arbor, means engaging said hubs to move said disksalternately into and out of operative position, locking mechanism forsaid disks, and means for releasing said disks from said lockingmechanism.

15. An indicator of the character described comprising indicatingmechanism, a spring for operating the same, means for periodicallyincreasing the tension on said spring, an arbor connected with saidindicating mechanism, a plurality of disks each provided with a hubsecured to said arbor, said hubs being provided with rack teeth, apinion meshing with the teeth on each hub, means for oscillating saidpinion,locking mechanism for said disks, and means for releasing saiddisks from said locking mechanism.

16. An indicator of the character described comprising indicatingmechanism, a spring for operating the same, means for periodicallyincreasing the tension on said spring, an arbor connected with saidindicating mechanism, a plurality of disks each provided with a hubsecured to said arbor, means engaging said hubs to move the disksalternately into and out of operative position, said means including acam wheel, means carried by one of said hubs for actuating said camwheel, locking mechanism for said disks, and means for releasing thedisks from said locking mechanism.

17. An indicator of the character described comprising indicatingmechanism, a spring for operating the same, means for periodicallyincreasing the tension on said spring, an arbor connected with saidindicating mechanism, a plurality of disks each provided with a hubsecured to said arbor, a pinion engaging said hubs to move said disksalternately into and out of operative position, a cam wheel foroscillating said pinion, means carried by one of said hubs for actuatingsaid cam wheel, locking mechanism for said disks, and means forreleasing the disks from the locking mechanism. 7

18. An indicator of the character described comprising indicatingmechanism, a spring for operating the same, means for periodicallyincreasing the tension on said spring, an arbor connected with saidindicating mechanism, a plurality of disks each provided with a hubsecured to said arbor, means engaging said hubs to move the disks intoand out of operative position, said means including a cam wheel providedwith circumferential fingers, a lug carried by one of said hubs andadapted to successively engage said fingers, locking mechanism for saiddisks, and means for releasing the disks from said locking mechanism.

19. An indicator of the character described comprising indicatingmechanism, a spring for operating the same, means for periodicallyincreasing the tension on said spring, an arbor connected with saidindicating mechanism, a plurality of disks each provided with a hubsecured to said arbor, a pinion engaging the hubs to move said disksalternately into and out of operative position, said pinion beingprovided with pins or projections, a cam wheel provided with cam armsadapted to alternately engage said pins or projections, said cam wheelbeing provided with peripheral fingers, a lug carried by one of saidhubs and adapted to successfully engage said fingers, locking mechanismfor said disks, and means for releasing the disks from said lockingmechanism.

20. An indicator of the character described comprising indicatingmechanism, a spring for operating the same, means for periodicallyincreasing the tension on said spring, an arbor connected with saidindicating mechanism, a plurality of disks each provided with a hubsecured to said arbor, said disks being provided with means for normallypreventing operation of said indicating mechanism, a cam wheel forthrowing said disks into and out of operative position, and means forpreventing reverse rotation of said cam wheel.

21. An indicator of the character described comprising indicatingmechanism, a spring for operating the same, means for periodicallyincreasing the tension on said spring, an arbor connected with saidindicating mechanism, a plurality of disks each provided with a hubsecured to said arbor, automatic means engaging said hubs to move saiddisks alternatively into and out of operative position, independentmanually operated means for moving said disks into and out of operativeposition, locking mechanism for said disks, and means for releasing thedisks from said locking mechanism.

22. An indicator of the character described comprising indicatingmechanism, a spring for operating the same, means for periodicallyincreasing the tension on said spring, an arbor connected with saidindicating mechanism, a plurality of disks each provided with a hubsecured to said arbor, a pinion engaging said hubs to move said disksalternately into and out of operative position, an oscillating cammember for actuating said pinion, means for depressing said cam member,a spring for holding said cam member normally elevated and also toreturn said cam member to normal position when oscillated, locking meansfor said disks, and means for releasing said disks from the lockingmeans.

23. An indicator of the character de scribed comprising indicatingmechanism, a spring for operating the same, means for periodicallyincreasing the tension on said spring, an arbor connected with saidindicating mechanism, a plurality of disks each provided with a hubsecured to said arbor, a pinion engaging said hubs to move said disksalternately into and out of operative position, a cam member foractuating said pinion, a spring for holding said cam member normallyelevated, means for depressing said cam member, means for rotating saidcam member against the tension of said spring, means for releasing saidcam member from said rotating means, locking means for said disks, andmeans for releasing said disks from said locking means.

24. An indicator of the character described comprising indicatingmechanism, a spring for operating the same, means for periodicallyincreasing the tension on said spring, an arbor connected with saidspring and adapted to operate said mechanism, means supported by saidarbor and including removable stops for limiting the movement of saidarbor, locking means adapted to engage said stops, and means forreleasing said stops from said locking means.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing Witnesses.

SAMUEL O. COX.

WVitnesses:

WM. S. HODGES, ELMER KINTZ.

